This year, the Ninth day of the month of Av begins today, Wednesday, July 22, and we are publishing a number of important details and nuances regarding the observance of the 9 Av fast.
We remind you that the “Day of Fasting and Mourning” – the Ninth of Av – was established in commemoration of the destruction of the First and Second Holy Temples in Jerusalem on this day. The fast is a full 24-hour fast – beginning at sunset and ending after nightfall. It is a very stringent fast, similar to Yom Kippur.
In Dnipro, the fast begins this evening, July 22, at 8:30 PM, and ends on July 23 at 9:08 PM.
In the evening, after the Ma’ariv prayer, Jews around the world will read the Book of Eicha (Lamentations) about the destruction of Jerusalem.
Throughout the entire duration of the fast, it is forbidden to eat and drink, as well as:
– Wash or bathe, including brushing teeth.
– Use any cosmetics or fragrances.
– Wear leather footwear.
– Engage in marital relations.
– Study Torah (except for passages related to the 9th of Av and mourning).
– Until midday, one may not sit on a chair, only on low stools.
– One may not offer greetings or give gifts.
– One must avoid idle talk and entertainment.
It is permitted to attend to business matters and other issues ONLY if inaction would result in SIGNIFICANT financial loss.
In conclusion, we note that the Ninth of Av is a day of mourning and grief only until the arrival of the righteous Moshiach, who, according to some opinions, will be born (or revealed in his fullness) specifically on this day. In any case, in the near future, the Ninth of Av will become a festive day, on which the Jewish people will rejoice in a rebuilt Jerusalem, illuminated by the radiance of the Third Holy Temple.
